Choosing a cabinetmaker is a bit like choosing a restaurant. Most restaurants do the basic things required to prepare and serve food to customers, and most of the time they do a pretty good job of it. However there’s no comparing a fine dining establishment on the water front with a short-order burger bar.
And it’s no different when it comes to choosing a cabinetmaker to create the statement features in your home. If you’re looking for enduring style, then choose a cabinetmaker who specialises in designing and building custom made joinery and furniture that will meet your brief, using quality materials and expert craftsmanship.
To help you understand the type of cabinetry you need and find the best cabinetmaker for your project, here’s a few things to consider:
Quality = long term durability
The key to the success of you project is choosing the right products based on quality, durability and your budget. A good cabinetmaker will work closely with you to select products that are suitable for the areas in your home that get the most use, within your budget. For example, over recent years, there’s been major advances in hardware technology for soft close drawer mechanisms and soft close hinges. Like all products, you get what you pay for with this technology, so your budget and durability expectations will determine the best options to select.
Budget: How much money do you want to spend?
When deciding this, ask yourself is what you have in mind something that will add significant value to your home, or does it just need to be functional? Are you intending to live in this home for a long time, or are you doing a quick renovation to sell and move on? These considerations have a huge bearing on how much you should invest in permanent features such as kitchens and bathrooms. If you’re planning to make this home yours for a long time, then our advice is to invest in quality craftsmanship and materials that will stand the test of time, then budget for it.
How important is uniqueness to you?
There are many places you can buy the latest trendy furniture. But if you’re wanting something truly special, something which brings you joy every time you walk into a room, and you know no-one anywhere has it, then custom furniture is for you. So when choosing a cabinetmaker, you need to look for true craftsmen and women, who work with you to really understand the unique elements you wish to create for your home.
Quality of materials and construction
For custom made cabinetry and furniture, solid timber is often – but not always – the material of choice. The right choice depends on the look you want to achieve, the functional requirements of the area it’s to be used in and, of course, your budget. There’s no denying that quality materials will stand the test of time, which is particularly important for high use areas. However, it’s just as important to consider the quality of materials and construction even in the parts you can’t see. A top quality granite benchtop fixed to substandard framing could result in the granite cracking at some point in the future. A good cabinetmaker will make sure you’re aware where money can be saved, and where it should (absolutely) not.
Deal with craftsmen who are hands on
If you’re looking for the best quality craftsmanship, choose a firm where you can have a direct relationship with the cabinet maker who will actually be crafting your pieces. After all, he or she needs to get to know you and understand your likes and dislikes. As occurs in most industries, technology can be both a blessing and a hinderance. The specialist machinery many cabinet makers rely on can limit their ability to bespoke designs and create truly unique solutions. A craftsman cabinetmaker who specialises in custom joinery and furniture will often have decades of experience, as well as a range of specialist machinery at his or her command.